Finnish deputy attacks vote to ban embryo research

The temporary committee on human genetics ruled that Community cash should not be given for research on human embryos or so-called therapeutic cloning.

The committee was set up by the European Parliament in January to examine the ethical and legal issues raised by recent developments in the field of human genetics.

Its decision on 6 November, however, incensed some of its members, including Finnish Liberal MEP Astrid Thors who said it was a blow for those who insist embryonic stem-cell research is vital in helping to find cures for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and diabetes.

She said: “The vote is a severe setback for those who, like me, believe that it is important to invest in research into both embyronic and adult stem cells. “It is also very discouraging for people suffering from diseases that, it is hoped, one day may be cured by stem cell therapies. This now puts the EU on a par with the Bush administration which has recently taken a similar hard line on this issue. If anything, the committee’s decision is even more restrictive.”

Human genetics has moved into the spotlight in recent years following the birth, in 1996, of Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned using the cell nucleus from an embryo.

Researchers have since developed a technique to clone human tissue by injecting human DNA into a cow’s egg cell, potentially allowing scientists to grow kidneys or hearts for use in human transplants.